Farmhouse Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

An easy crock pot pork chop recipe for an impressive meal!

While crock pots, also known as slow-cookers are a convenient way to cook delicious and nutritious meals in today’s busy world, there are a few things of which we must be aware. Certain vitamins and trace minerals can escape during cooking, principally vegetables. This is due in part by the enzyme conflict while cooking, as well as heat degradation. When vegetables are prepared at high temperatures, the molecular structure of certain enzymes is swiftly reorganized and has less time to “perform their jobs”. Since crock pots cook at temperatures significantly below the boiling point and, thus; are unable rapidly reorganize the enzymes’ molecular structure, vegetables are likely to e robbed of nutrients.

In addition, raw fava and kidney beans contain a toxin known as phytohaemagglutinin, which is easily eradicated during a ten minute boiling process. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in a slow cooker; hence it is necessary for dry beans to be boiled before slow-cooking in order to circumvent food poisoning. Even a small quantity of such beans can be toxic. They can be up to five times more toxic, if cooked at 175 ° than eaten raw. For this reason, it is crucial to always pre-boil raw beans. Instances of food poisoning by slow-cooked beans have been cited in the United Kingdom, and such poisoning has taken place in the United States, although not been officially reported. By simply using canned beans, and adding them to the crock pot near the end of the cooking time, eliminates the risk of poisoning entirely.

Crock Pot Cooking Directions:

Place pork chops, dressing mix and soup in a medium-sized crock pot. Set on high heat for four hours or low heat for six hours.

Scrub potatoes and put them in a pot of cold water. Bring them to a boil over high heat and continue cooking for eleven minutes or until done. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until potatoes are sufficiently mashed. Add butter, smashed garlic, parmesan, milk, pepper and salt. Continue mixing until potatoes reach the desired consistency. Ladle potatoes onto serving plates. Top with pork chops and the crock pot gravy. Garnish with parsley.

Roasted Garlic:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the unpeeled bulb of garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and enclose loosely. Bake for one hour. Remove garlic from oven and foil. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Peel garlic cloves, place in a bowl and mash well. Set aside. One garlic bulb is comprised of around 12 cloves.